Buttered Garlic Shrimp (Printable)

Shrimp sautéed in garlicky butter with lemon and parsley—ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Dairy

02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)

→ Seasonings

06 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Accompaniments

08 - Lemon wedges, for serving
09 - Crusty bread or steamed rice, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the shrimp thoroughly dry with paper towels to ensure proper searing. Season evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
02 - In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter until it begins to foam. Add the minced garlic and sauté for approximately 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Arrange the seasoned shrimp in a single even layer across the skillet. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side until the edges turn pink and begin to curl. Flip each shrimp and continue cooking for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until fully opaque and cooked through.
04 - Remove the skillet from heat. Add the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley, tossing gently to coat each shrimp evenly in the butter sauce. Serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside crusty bread or steamed rice.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The butter and garlic create a sauce so good you will want to drag every last bit through a piece of crusty bread.
  • It goes from fridge to table in twenty minutes flat, which makes it a hero on chaotic weeknights.
  • It looks fancy enough for guests but requires zero culinary training to pull off beautifully.
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery in seconds, so pull them from the heat the moment they are opaque because carryover cooking will finish the job.
  • Garlic browns faster than you think in hot butter, so keep the heat at medium and stir the moment it hits the pan to avoid bitterness.
03 -
  • Pat the shrimp bone dry before seasoning because any leftover moisture causes the butter to splatter and prevents a proper sear.
  • Use the largest shrimp you can find since they stay juicier and are far more forgiving with timing than smaller ones.

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